Histone deacetylase 6 inhibition for enhancing t-cell function during anti-tumor response and tumor-peptide vaccination

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are methods whereby an effective amount of a HDAC6 inhibitor is used to activate a subjects T-cell response to tumor or tumor vaccine. Methods of using HDAC6 inhibitors to increase a subjects anti-tumor immune response, alone or in conjunction with other tumor treatments, are also disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/975,811, filed Apr. 5, 2014, and Application Ser. No. 62/085,878,filed Dec. 1, 2014, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

This invention was made with government support under Grant numberCA134807 awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The governmenthas certain rights in this invention.

BACKGROUND

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are a family of epigenetic regulators withemerging roles in both tumor and immune system biology. HDAC6 is a 131KDa protein considered to be a key regulator of cytoskeleton dynamicsand cell-cell interactions (Hubbert et al. Nature 417:455-458 (2002);Valenzuela-Fernandez, et al. Trends in Cell Biology 18:291-297 (2008)).Although this HDAC is predominantly cytoplasmic, studies havedemonstrated its presence in nuclear extracts and its recruitment togene promoter regions (Toropainen et al., J Mol Biol. 400:284-294(2010)). HDAC6 has been reported to be over-expressed in several cancertypes, including ovarian cancer, prostate cancer and acute myeloidleukemia (AML) (Aldana-Masangkay et al., J Biomed Biotechnol 2011:875824(2010)).

HDAC6 has been implicated in the modulation of immune responses(Serrador et al., Immunity 20:417-428 (2004); Kalin et al., J Med Chem.(2012)). Recently, HDAC6 has been reported to modulate the acetylationof HSP90, a regulator of regulatory T-cell (Treg) suppressive activity(de Zoeten et al., Mol Cell Biol 31(10):2066-2078 (2011)). The use ofHDAC6 as a target for generating and maintaining anti-tumor and peptidevaccination responses in vivo would be desirable. The subject matterdisclosed herein addresses these desires and provide methods oftargeting HDAC6 to improve immunotherapies.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the purposes of the disclosed materials, compounds,compositions, articles, devices, and methods, as embodied and broadlydescribed herein, the disclosed subject matter relates to compositionsand methods of making and using the compositions. In other aspects, thedisclosed subject matter relates to the use of compounds having activityas HDAC6 inhibitors. For example, disclosed herein are methods wherebyan effective amount of a HDAC6 inhibitor to activate the subject'sT-cell response to tumor or tumor vaccine is administered to a subjecthaving an oncological disorder, for example melanoma, and who is in needof treatment thereof. Methods of using HDAC6 inhibitors to increase asubject's anti-tumor immune response, alone or in conjunction with othertumor treatments, are also disclosed. In some embodiments, the HDAC6inhibitors include ACY-1215, Tubacin, Tubastatin A, ST-3-06, ST-2-92,Nexturastat A, and Nexturastat B.

Additional advantages of the disclosed subject matter will be set forthin part in the description that follows, and in part will be obviousfrom the description, or can be learned by practice of the aspectsdescribed below. The advantages described below will be realized andattained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointedout in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both theforegoing general description and the following detailed description areexemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

The accompanying figures, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate several aspects described below.

FIG. 1. HDAC6 expression is decreased after T-cell activation. CD3+T-cells were isolated from (a) C57BL/6 mice lymph nodes or (b)peripheral blood of healthy human donors. Cells were plated andstimulated with anti-CD3/CD28 Dynabeads for 6 hours. Cells were lysedand HDAC6 mRNA expression was determined by qRT-PCR.

FIG. 2. HDAC6 inhibition leads to enhanced and maintained CD69expression after activation. (A) CD3+ T-cells were isolated from C57BL/6mice lymph nodes and activated via CD3/CD28 stimulation for 24 or 48hours. Four mice were used per group; representative histograms areshown. (B) The human CD4+ cell line Jurkat was activated with PMA andIonomycin for 24 hours. Cells were treated with ACY-1215 1 μM or DMSOcontrol at the same time of activation and analyzed by flow cytometryfor CD69 expression. Graphs represent values of mean fluorescenceintensity (MFI).

FIG. 3. Enhanced anti-tumor response promoted by HDAC6 inhibition isdependent on an intact immune system. (A) C57BL/6 or (B) SCID mice weresubcutaneous injected with 3×10⁶ Fc-muMCL1 lymphoma cells. After tumorappearance, six mice were treated daily with 35 mg/kg of Tubastatin Aand four mice received vehicle control, for 16 days.

FIG. 4. HDAC6 inhibition in T-cells improves the anti-tumor response andresults in a minor accumulation of central memory T-cells in the lymphnodes. CD3+ T-cells were isolated from C57BL/6 mice and depleted forCD25+ cells. Cells were activated via CD3/CD28 stimulation and treatedconcomitantly with ACY-1215 1 μM or DMSO control. Groups of five miceeach were sub-lethally irradiated (600 rads) prior to adoptive transferof 5.5×10⁶ DMSO or ACY1215-treated T-cells via tail vein injection. (A)Tumor volume was assessed by caliper measurement. (B) Lymph nodes wereharvested ten days after adoptive T-cell transfer and cells wereanalyzed by flow cytometry for T-cell memory markers.

FIG. 5. Characterization of HDAC6KO mice lymphocyte compartments.Peripheral blood from C57BL/6 or HDAC6KO mice was analyzed by (A)complete blood count and (B) flow cytometry for lymphocyte markers.Three mice were used per group; representative plots are shown.

FIG. 6. HDAC6KO mice have reduced tumor growth. HDAC6KO and C57BL/6 micewere subcutaneous injected with 10⁵ B16-F10 melanoma cells. Tumor volumewas calculated as indicated by the formula (width)² x length/2.

FIG. 7. HDAC6KO mice display a reduced contraction phase in theantigen-specific CD8+ T-cell compartment after tumor-peptidevaccination. HDAC6KO and wild-type mice received intravenous injectionsof a peptide vaccine containing Pam2-Trp1/455 peptide,Polyinosine-polycytidylic acid and anti-CD40, followed by a vaccinationboost after 13 days. Graph represents the percentage oftetramer-specific CD8+ T-cells from peripheral blood collected on theindicated days.

FIG. 8. HDAC6-selective inhibition increases central memory phenotypeand cytolytic capacity of human T-cells. CD3+ T-cells were isolated fromperipheral blood (PBMC) of healthy human donors and cultured in thepresence of IL-2. (a) T-cells were treated once with ACY-1215 andanalyzed by flow cytometry for the memory markers CD45RO and CD62L atdays 7, 5, 3, 1 or 4 hours after treatment. (b-c) Cells from PBMC weretreated once with ACY-1215 and stimulated with aCD3/CD28 Dynabeads for72 hours. CD8+ T-cells were evaluated for the expression of IFNg andCD107a by flow cytometry.

FIG. 9. HDAC6-selective inhibition increases central memory phenotype inmelanoma infiltrating T lymphocytes. Frozen tumor infiltratinglymphocytes (TILs) from melanoma patients were thawed and evaluated forexpression of the memory markers CD45RO, CD45RA and/or CD62L by flowcytometry. (a) Tumor digest with TILs were treated once with ACY-1215and cultured in the presence of IL-2. Non-stimulated and aCD3-activatedTILs were then assessed for memory phenotype. (b) TILs isolated from thetumor were cultured with IL-2 and evaluated for memory markers beforerapid expansion protocol (Pre-REP) or (c) Post-REP.

FIG. 10. Continuous HDAC6-selective inhibition robustly increasescentral memory phenotype in TILs. Frozen TILs were thawed, cultured inthe presence of IL-2 and treated twice within two weeks with ACY-1215 orDMSO control. Cells were evaluated for expression of the memory markersCD45RO and CD62L by flow cytometry.

FIG. 11. HDAC6-selective inhibition improves melanoma killing capacityof TILs. All TIL samples were thawed for experiments in vitro. (a) Tumordigest and TILs were cultured with IL-2, treated once with ACY-1215 andpharmacologically activated during 6 hours for assessment of IFNg andCD107a. (b) Post-REP TILs treated twice with ACY-1215 were co-culturedin vitro with HLA-matched melanoma for 48 hours. Relative melanoma deathwas determined by expression of Annexin V and viability staining. (c)Pre-REP TILs and HLA-matched melanoma were co-cultured and concomitantlytreated with ACY-1215 for 48 hours. Relative tumor death was assessed asabove.

FIG. 12. HDAC6-selective inhibition alters transcription factorsinvolved in T-cell fate. Frozen TILs were thawed, cultured with IL-2 andtreated twice with ACY-1215 prior to rapid expansion (REP) in vitro.After two weeks, post-REP (a) CD8+ and (a, b) CD4+ TILs were evaluatedfor the expression T---BET, GATA3 and RORgT transcription factors byflow cytometry.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The materials, compounds, compositions, articles, and methods describedherein may be understood more readily by reference to the followingdetailed description of specific aspects of the disclosed subject matterand the Examples and Figures included therein.

Before the present materials, compounds, compositions, and methods aredisclosed and described, it is to be understood that the aspectsdescribed below are not limited to specific synthetic methods orspecific reagents, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to beunderstood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescribing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting.

In this specification and in the claims that follow, reference will bemade to a number of terms, which shall be defined to have the followingmeanings:

Throughout the description and claims of this specification the word“comprise” and other forms of the word, such as “comprising” and“comprises,” means including but not limited to, and is not intended toexclude, for example, other additives, components, integers, or steps.

As used in the description and the appended claims, the singular forms“a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearlydictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a composition”includes mixtures of two or more such compositions, reference to “thecompound” includes mixtures of two or more such compounds, reference to“an agent” includes mixture of two or more such agents, and the like.

The term “subject” refers to any individual who is the target ofadministration or treatment. The subject can be a vertebrate, forexample, a mammal. Thus, the subject can be a human or veterinarypatient. Thus, the “subject” can include domesticated animals (e.g.,cats, dogs, etc.), livestock (e.g., cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, goats,etc.), laboratory animals (e.g., mouse, rabbit, rat, guinea pig, etc.),and birds. “Subject” can also include a mammal, such as a primate or ahuman. The term “patient” refers to a subject under the treatment of aclinician, e.g., physician.

By “reduce” or other forms of the word, such as “reducing” or“reduction,” is meant lowering of an event or characteristic (e.g.,tumor growth). It is understood that this is typically in relation tosome standard or expected value, in other words it is relative, but thatit is not always necessary for the standard or relative value to bereferred to. For example, “reduces tumor growth” means reducing the rateof growth of a tumor relative to a standard or a control.

By “increase” or other forms of the word, such as “increasing” or“increased,” is meant raising the frequency or amplitude of an event orcharacteristic (e.g., immune response to tumor growth). It is understoodthat this is typically in relation to some standard or expected value,in other words it is relative, but that it is not always necessary forthe standard or relative value to be referred to. For example, “increaseanti-tumor response” means increasing any marker used to measure ananti-tumor immune response relative to a standard or a control.

By “prevent” or other forms of the word, such as “preventing” or“prevention,” is meant to stop a particular event or characteristic, tostabilize or delay the development or progression of a particular eventor characteristic, or to minimize the chances that a particular event orcharacteristic will occur. Prevent does not require comparison to acontrol as it is typically more absolute than, for example, reduce. Asused herein, something could be reduced but not prevented, but somethingthat is reduced could also be prevented. Likewise, something could beprevented but not reduced, but something that is prevented could also bereduced. It is understood that where reduce or prevent are used, unlessspecifically indicated otherwise, the use of the other word is alsoexpressly disclosed.

By “treat” or other forms of the word, such as “treated” or “treatment,”is meant to administer a composition or to perform a method in order toreduce, prevent, inhibit, or eliminate a particular characteristic orevent (e.g., tumor growth or survival). The term “control” is usedsynonymously with the term “treat.” The term “treatment” includes themedical management of a patient with the intent to cure, ameliorate,stabilize, or prevent a disease, pathological condition, or disorder.This term includes active treatment, that is, treatment directedspecifically toward the improvement of a disease, pathologicalcondition, or disorder, and also includes causal treatment, that is,treatment directed toward removal of the cause of the associateddisease, pathological condition, or disorder. In addition, this termincludes palliative treatment, that is, treatment designed for therelief of symptoms rather than the curing of the disease, pathologicalcondition, or disorder; preventative treatment, that is, treatmentdirected to minimizing or partially or completely inhibiting thedevelopment of the associated disease, pathological condition, ordisorder; and supportive treatment, that is, treatment employed tosupplement another specific therapy directed toward the improvement ofthe associated disease, pathological condition, or disorder.

The term “regression” does not necessarily imply 100% or completeregression. Rather, there are varying degrees of regression of which oneof ordinary skill in the art recognizes as having a potential benefit ortherapeutic effect. The term also encompasses delaying the onset of thedisease, or a symptom or condition thereof.

The term “anticancer” refers to the ability to treat or control cellularproliferation and/or tumor growth at any concentration.

The term “tumor infiltrating lymphocyte” or “TIL” refers to white bloodcells that have left the bloodstream and migrated into a tumor.

Reference will now be made in detail to specific aspects of thedisclosed materials, compounds, compositions, articles, and methods,examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying Examples andFigures.

Methods

Disclosed herein are methods that utilize HDAC6 modulation to affectT-cell activation and response against tumor or peptide vaccine. Thisnew role of HDAC6 is demonstrated herein in regulating anti-melanomaresponse and having positive implications for tumor infiltrationlymphocyte (TIL) therapy.

In specific examples, disclosed herein are methods of increasing T-cellactivation and response against tumor, comprising administering to asubject an amount of an HDAC6 inhibitor effective to increase T-cellactivation and response against tumor in the subject. Also disclosed aremethods of increasing expression of CD69 in a subject's T-cells,comprising: administering to the subject an effective amount of an HDAC6inhibitor. Still further, disclosed are methods for ex vivo expandingtumor-infiltrating lymphocytes for use in adoptive cell therapy (ACT)comprising culturing tumor fragments from the subject in a culturemedium comprising IL-2 and an HDAC6 inhibitor in an amount effective toexpand tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes with enriched tumor-reactivity andspecificity.

Also, disclosed are methods for treating a cancer in a subjectcomprising expanding tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes from a tumorfragment from the subject by culturing the tumor fragments in a culturemedium comprising IL-2 and an HDAC6 inhibitor in an amount effective toexpand tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes with enriched tumor-reactivity andspecificity; treating the subject with nonmyeloablative lymphodepletingchemotherapy; and administering the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes tothe subject. The cancer can be a solid tumor. For example, the cancercan be selected from the group consisting of melanoma, ovarian cancer,breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. The cancer can be metastatic. Thecancer can be recurrent.

In the disclosed methods, the inhibitor can be ACY1215. In otherexamples, the inhibitor can be ST-3-06, ST-2-92, Tubstatin A, Tubacin,Nexturastat A, Nexturastat B or any combination thereof. Further,examples of HDAC6 inhibitors that can be used herein include Pan-HDACiLAQ824 and HDAC6i ST-2-92. The HDAC6 inhibitor can also be administeredwith ipilimumab, revlimid, velcade, vemurafenib, ST-3-06, ST-2-92,Tubstatin A, Tubacin, or any combination thereof.

Also disclosed are methods of increasing T-cell activation and responseagainst peptide vaccine comprising administering to a subject aneffective amount of an HDAC6 inhibitor to increase T-cell activation andresponse against tumor or peptide vaccine in the subject. The HDAC6inhibitor can be administered with the peptide vaccine or within a weekafter the subject has been administered a peptide vaccine.

Initially the relative expression of HDAC6 was evaluated in mouse andhuman T-cells, revealing decreased expression of this HDAC followingCD3/CD28 stimulation. To demonstrate the role of HDAC6 in T-cellfunction, an HDAC6KO mouse model was utilized. Characterization of theT-cell compartments of the HDAC6KO mouse model showed a slight increasein CD4+ T-cell population in the lymph nodes at the expense of adecreased percentage of CD8+ T-cells. Further investigation usingisotype-specific HDAC6 inhibitors showed similar results when WT T-cellswere activated and treated with an HDAC6 inhibitor. In addition to thispopulation skewing, HDAC6 inhibition led to an enhanced expression ofCD69 in WT CD4+ T-cells. This result was reproduced in human CD4+T-cells, indicating a role of HDAC6 in regulating T-cell activation.

To demonstrate HDAC6 inhibition for tumor immunotherapy,melanoma-bearing mice were adoptively transferred with T-cells activatedand treated with an HDAC6 inhibitor. Ex vivo analysis of memory T-celldistribution in the lymph nodes demonstrated an increased percent ofCD44+CD62L+ T-cells upon HDAC6 inhibition, suggesting a role of HDAC6 inthe formation or distribution of memory CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells.

In a separate experiment, HDAC6KO mice inoculated with melanomapresented significantly delayed tumor growth, despite having normallymphocyte compartments, when comparing to age-, sex-match wild-type(WT) mice. Additionally, in a tumor-peptide vaccination model, HDAC6KOmice displayed a remarkably reduced contraction phase in theantigen-specific CD8+ T-cell compartment when compared to WT mice afterpeptide vaccine administration. To further evaluate whether these invivo responses were dependent on T-cells, WT or lympho-deficient,lymphoma-bearing mice were treated with an HDAC6 inhibitor. HDAC6inhibition led to reduced tumor burden in WT mice, which was absent inlympho-deficient mice, highlighting the importance of lymphocytes in theaforementioned in vivo results. Thus, the role of HDAC6 in regulatingimmune cells during anti-tumor response appears to be more importantthan the previously reported role as a regulator of Treg function. Thedata presented demonstrate a positive effect of HDAC6 in T-cellactivation, maintenance of anti-tumor response in vivo and persistenceof reactive T-cells following peptide vaccination. The results hereindescribed have revealed an unexplored role of HDAC6 with positiveimplications for cancer immunotherapy.

To further expand these results with a clinical application, previouslyfrozen TILs from melanoma patients were thawed and treated with ACY-1215during expansion in vitro. Accordingly, HDAC6 inhibition increased thepercent of both CD8+ and CD4+ central memory T-cell subsets, asindicated by CD45RO, CD45RA, CCR7 and CD62L surface markers. To buildupon these results, the expression of transcription factors involved inT-cell differentiation and polarization were evaluated. Thetranscription factor T-BET was found to be up-regulated in CD4+ and CD8+TILs alter in vitro expansion and treatment with ACY-1215, while therewas a mild decrease in expression of GATA3 and RORgT in CD4+ TILs. Thisdata is suggestive of CD4+ TIL polarization towards a pro-inflammatoryTh1 phenotype. Moreover, both CD4+ and CD8+ TILs expanded and treatedwith ACY-1215 displayed enhanced Ki67 expression compared to the controltreatment group, indicating higher proliferative capacity as a result ofHDAC6 inhibition. To address if ACY-1215 treatment could ultimatelyimprove T-cell cytotoxicity against melanoma, TILs from one melanomapatient were treated with ACY-1215 at the same time of in vitroexpansion and then co-cultured with HLA matched melanoma. Treatment ofTILs with ACY-1215 resulted in 20% more killing of target cells than thecontrol group. The data demonstrate a positive effect of HDAC6inhibition in generating and maintaining anti-tumor and peptidevaccination responses in vivo.

Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) is a very effective form of immunotherapyand involves the transfer of immune cells with antitumor activity intocancer patients. ACT is a treatment approach that involves theidentification, in vitro, of lymphocytes with antitumor activity, the invitro expansion of these cells to large numbers and their infusion intothe cancer-bearing host. Lymphocytes used for adoptive transfer can bederived from the stroma of resected tumors (tumor infiltratinglymphocytes or TILs). They can also be derived or from blood if they aregenetically engineered to express antitumor T cell receptors (TCRs) orchimeric antigen receptors (CARs), enriched with mixed lymphocyte tumorcell cultures (MLTCs), or cloned using autologous antigen presentingcells and tumor derived peptides. ACT in which the lymphocytes originatefrom the cancer-bearing host to be infused is termed autologous ACT. US2011/0052530 relates to a method for performing adoptive cell therapy topromote cancer regression, primarily for treatment of patients sufferingfrom metastatic melanoma, which is incorporated by reference in itsentirety for these methods.

In some embodiments, nonmyeloablative lymphodepleting chemotherapy isadministered to the subject prior to administering to the subject theexpanded tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. The purpose of lymphodepletionis to make room for the infused lymphocytes, in particular byeliminating regulatory T cells and other non-specific T cells whichcompete for homeostatic cytokines. Nonmyeloablative lymphodepletingchemotherapy can be any suitable such therapy, which can be administeredby any suitable route. The nonmyeloablative lymphodepleting chemotherapycan comprise, for example, the administration of cyclophosphamide andfludarabine, particularly if the cancer is melanoma, which can bemetastatic. A preferred route of administering cyclophosphamide andfludarabine is intravenously. Likewise, any suitable dose ofcyclophosphamide and fludarabine can be administered. Preferably, around40-80 mg/kg, such as around 60 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide is administeredfor approximately two days after which around 15-35 m g/m², such asaround 25 mg/m² fludarabine is administered for around five days,particularly if the cancer is melanoma.

Preferably, expanded lymphocytes produced by the disclosed methods areadministered as an intra-arterial or intravenous infusion, whichpreferably lasts about 30 to about 60 minutes. Other examples of routesof administration include intraperitoneal, intrathecal andintralymphatic. Likewise, any suitable dose of lymphocytes can beadministered. In one embodiment, about 1×10¹⁰ lymphocytes to about15×10¹⁰ lymphocytes are administered.

Experiments have shown that the addition of ACY-1215 to cultured T-cellsconsistently promotes expansion of both CD4+ and CD8+ central memory.These results have been repeated using both TIL and peripheral bloodT-cells. Indeed, results show that multiple doses of ACY-1215 furtherenhance central memory accumulation over single dose. Central memoryT-cells are a long-lived population of antigen-experienced cells primedfor rapid response to antigen challenge. As persistence has beenpositively associated with patient response to tumor infiltratinglymphocyte (TIL) therapy, the expansion of central memory cellsrepresents an approach for enhancing the clinical success of TILtherapy. The results disclosed herein provide a rationale for targetingHDAC6 to improve central memory phenotype and cytotoxicity of tumorinfiltrating lymphocytes from melanoma patients.

Further provided herein are methods of treating or preventing cancer ina subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amountof an HDAC6 inhibitor. Additionally, the method can further compriseadministering an effective amount of ionizing radiation to the subject.The methods can further include administering a second compound orcomposition (e.g., an anticancer agent) to the subject.

The disclosed subject matter also concerns methods for treating asubject having an oncological disorder or condition. In one embodiment,an effective amount of one or more compounds or compositions disclosedherein is administered to a subject having an oncological disorder andwho is in need of treatment thereof. The disclosed methods canoptionally include identifying a subject who is or can be in need oftreatment of an oncological disorder. The subject can be a human orother mammal, such as a primate (monkey, chimpanzee, ape, etc.), dog,cat, cow, pig, or horse, or other animals having an oncologicaldisorder. Means for administering and formulating compounds foradministration to a subject are known in the art, examples of which aredescribed herein. Oncological disorders include, but are not limited to,cancer and/or tumors of the anus, bile duct, bladder, bone, bone marrow,bowel (including colon and rectum), breast, eye, gall bladder, kidney,mouth, larynx, esophagus, stomach, testis, cervix, head, neck, ovary,lung, mesothelioma, neuroendocrine, penis, skin, spinal cord, thyroid,vagina, vulva, uterus, liver, muscle, pancreas, prostate, blood cells(including lymphocytes and other immune system cells), and brain.Specific cancers contemplated for treatment include carcinomas,Karposi's sarcoma, melanoma, mesothelioma, soft tissue sarcoma,pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, leukemia (acute lymphoblastic, acutemyeloid, chronic lymphocytic, chronic myeloid, and other), and lymphoma(Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's), and multiple myeloma.

Other examples of cancers that can be treated according to the methodsdisclosed herein are adrenocortical carcinoma, adrenocortical carcinoma,cerebellar astrocytoma, basal cell carcinoma, bile duct cancer, bladdercancer, bone cancer, brain tumor, breast cancer, Burkitt's lymphoma,carcinoid tumor, central nervous system lymphoma, cervical cancer,chronic myeloproliferative disorders, colon cancer, cutaneous T-celllymphoma, endometrial cancer, ependymoma, esophageal cancer, gallbladdercancer, gastric (stomach) cancer, gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor, germcell tumor, glioma, hairy cell leukemia, head and neck cancer,hepatocellular (liver) cancer, hypopharyngeal cancer, hypothalamic andvisual pathway glioma, intraocular melanoma, retinoblastoma, islet cellcarcinoma (endocrine pancreas), laryngeal cancer, lip and oral cavitycancer, liver cancer, medulloblastoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, squamousneck cancer with occult mycosis fungoides, myelodysplastic syndromes,myelogenous leukemia, nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancer,nasopharyngeal cancer, neuroblastoma, non-small cell lungcancer, oralcancer, oropharyngeal cancer, osteosarcoma, ovarian cancer, pancreaticcancer, paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer, parathyroid cancer,penile cancer, pheochromocytoma, pineoblastoma and supratentorialprimitive neuroectodermal tumor, pituitary tumor, plasma cellneoplasm/multiple myeloma, pleuropulmonary blastoma, prostate cancer,rectal cancer, renal cell (kidney) cancer, retinoblastoma,rhabdomyosarcoma, salivary gland cancer, Ewing's sarcoma, soft tissuesarcoma, Sezary syndrome, skin cancer, small cell lung cancer, smallintestine cancer, supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors,testicular cancer, thymic carcinoma, thymoma, thyroid cancer,transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter, trophoblastictumor, urethral cancer, uterine cancer, vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer,Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, and Wilms' tumor.

Compositions, Formulations and Methods of Administration

Compounds that can be administered according to the disclosed methodsare HDAC6 inhibitors. The uniqueness of HDAC6 in containing twoenzymatic pockets allows the development of isotype-specific smallmolecule inhibitors. In one preferred example, the compound is ACY1215(also known as Rocilinostat), which has the following structure,

Pharmaceutically acceptable salts and hydrates of ACY1215 can also beused herein.

Other HDAC inhibitors that can be used herein include Tubacin,Tubastatin A, ST-3-06, ST-2-92, Nexturastat A, and Nexturastat B.Further examples of HDAC inhibitors that can be used include Vorinostat,LBH589, ITF2357, PXD-101, Depsipeptide, MS-275, and MGCD0103.

In vivo application of the disclosed compounds, and compositionscontaining them, can be accomplished by any suitable method andtechnique presently or prospectively known to those skilled in the art.For example, the disclosed compounds can be formulated in aphysiologically- or pharmaceutically-acceptable form and administered byany suitable route known in the art including, for example, oral, nasal,rectal, topical, and parenteral routes of administration. As usedherein, the term parenteral includes subcutaneous, intradermal,intravenous, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, and intrasternaladministration, such as by injection. Administration of the disclosedcompounds or compositions can be a single administration, or atcontinuous or distinct intervals as can be readily determined by aperson skilled in the art.

The compounds disclosed herein, and compositions comprising them, canalso be administered utilizing liposome technology, slow releasecapsules, implantable pumps, and biodegradable containers. Thesedelivery methods can, advantageously, provide a uniform dosage over anextended period of time. The compounds can also be administered in theirsalt derivative forms or crystalline forms.

The compounds disclosed herein can be formulated according to knownmethods for preparing pharmaceutically acceptable compositions.Formulations are described in detail in a number of sources which arewell known and readily available to those skilled in the art. Forexample, Remington's Pharmaceutical Science by E. W. Martin (1995)describes formulations that can be used in connection with the disclosedmethods. In general, the compounds disclosed herein can be formulatedsuch that an effective amount of the compound is combined with asuitable carrier in order to facilitate effective administration of thecompound. The compositions used can also be in a variety of forms. Theseinclude, for example, solid, semi-solid, and liquid dosage forms, suchas tablets, pills, powders, liquid solutions or suspension,suppositories, injectable and infusible solutions, and sprays. Thepreferred form depends on the intended mode of administration andtherapeutic application. The compositions also preferably includeconventional pharmaceutically-acceptable carriers and diluents which areknown to those skilled in the art. Examples of carriers or diluents foruse with the compounds include ethanol, dimethyl sulfoxide, glycerol,alumina, starch, saline, and equivalent carriers and diluents. Toprovide for the administration of such dosages for the desiredtherapeutic treatment, compositions disclosed herein can advantageouslycomprise between about 0.1% and 99%, and especially, 1 and 15% by weightof the total of one or more of the subject compounds based on the weightof the total composition including carrier or diluent.

Formulations suitable for administration include, for example, aqueoussterile injection solutions, which can contain antioxidants, buffers,bacteriostats, and solutes that render the formulation isotonic with theblood of the intended recipient; and aqueous and nonaqueous sterilesuspensions, which can include suspending agents and thickening agents.The formulations can be presented in unit-dose or multi-dose containers,for example sealed ampoules and vials, and can be stored in a freezedried (lyophilized) condition requiring only the condition of thesterile liquid carrier, for example, water for injections, prior to use.Extemporaneous injection solutions and suspensions can be prepared fromsterile powder, granules, tablets, etc. It should be understood that inaddition to the ingredients particularly mentioned above, thecompositions disclosed herein can include other agents conventional inthe art having regard to the type of formulation in question.

Compounds disclosed herein, and compositions comprising them, can bedelivered to a cell either through direct contact with the cell or via acarrier means. Carrier means for delivering compounds and compositionsto cells are known in the art and include, for example, encapsulatingthe composition in a liposome moiety. Another means for delivery ofcompounds and compositions disclosed herein to a cell comprisesattaching the compounds to a protein or nucleic acid that is targetedfor delivery to the target cell. U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,648 and U.S.Application Publication Nos. 20030032594 and 20020120100 disclose aminoacid sequences that can be coupled to another composition and thatallows the composition to be translocated across biological membranes.U.S. Application Publication No. 20020035243 also describes compositionsfor transporting biological moieties across cell membranes forintracellular delivery. Compounds can also be incorporated intopolymers, examples of which include poly (D-L lactide-co-glycolide)polymer for intracranial tumors; poly[bis(p-carboxyphenoxy)propane:sebacic acid] in a 20:80 molar ratio (as used in GLIADEL);chondroitin; chitin; and chitosan.

For the treatment of oncological disorders, the compounds disclosedherein can be administered to a patient in need of treatment incombination with other antitumor or anticancer substances and/or withradiation and/or photodynamic therapy and/or with surgical treatment toremove a tumor. These other substances or treatments can be given at thesame as or at different times from the compounds disclosed herein. Forexample, the compounds disclosed herein can be used in combination withmitotic inhibitors such as taxol or vinblastine, alkylating agents suchas cyclophosamide or ifosfamide, antimetabolites such as 5-fluorouracilor hydroxyurea, DNA intercalators such as adriamycin or bleomycin,topoisomerase inhibitors such as etoposide or camptothecin,antiangiogenic agents such as angiostatin, antiestrogens such astamoxifen, and/or other anti-cancer drugs or antibodies, such as, forexample, GLEEVEC (Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation) and HERCEPTIN(Genentech, Inc.), respectively, or an immunotherapeutic such asipilimumab and bortezomib. In other aspect, the disclosed compounds areinhibitors like ACY-1215, Tubacin, Tubastatin A, ST-3-06, or ST-2-92.

In certain examples, compounds and compositions disclosed herein can belocally administered at one or more anatomical sites, such as sites ofunwanted cell growth (such as a tumor site or benign skin growth, e.g.,injected or topically applied to the tumor or skin growth), optionallyin combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier such as aninert diluent. Compounds and compositions disclosed herein can besystemically administered, such as intravenously or orally, optionallyin combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier such as aninert diluent, or an assimilable edible carrier for oral delivery. Theycan be enclosed in hard or soft shell gelatin capsules, can becompressed into tablets, or can be incorporated directly with the foodof the patient's diet. For oral therapeutic administration, the activecompound can be combined with one or more excipients and used in theform of ingestible tablets, buccal tablets, troches, capsules, elixirs,suspensions, syrups, wafers, aerosol sprays, and the like.

The tablets, troches, pills, capsules, and the like can also contain thefollowing: binders such as gum tragacanth, acacia, corn starch orgelatin; excipients such as dicalcium phosphate; a disintegrating agentsuch as corn starch, potato starch, alginic acid and the like; alubricant such as magnesium stearate; and a sweetening agent such assucrose, fructose, lactose or aspartame or a flavoring agent such aspeppermint, oil of wintergreen, or cherry flavoring can be added. Whenthe unit dosage form is a capsule, it can contain, in addition tomaterials of the above type, a liquid carrier, such as a vegetable oilor a polyethylene glycol. Various other materials can be present ascoatings or to otherwise modify the physical form of the solid unitdosage form. For instance, tablets, pills, or capsules can be coatedwith gelatin, wax, shellac, or sugar and the like. A syrup or elixir cancontain the active compound, sucrose or fructose as a sweetening agent,methyl and propylparabens as preservatives, a dye and flavoring such ascherry or orange flavor. Of course, any material used in preparing anyunit dosage form should be pharmaceutically acceptable and substantiallynon-toxic in the amounts employed. In addition, the active compound canbe incorporated into sustained-release preparations and devices.

Compounds and compositions disclosed herein, including pharmaceuticallyacceptable salts, or hydrates thereof, can be administeredintravenously, intramuscularly, or intraperitoneally by infusion orinjection. Solutions of the active agent or its salts can be prepared inwater, optionally mixed with a nontoxic surfactant. Dispersions can alsobe prepared in glycerol, liquid polyethylene glycols, triacetin, andmixtures thereof and in oils. Under ordinary conditions of storage anduse, these preparations can contain a preservative to prevent the growthof microorganisms.

The pharmaceutical dosage forms suitable for injection or infusion caninclude sterile aqueous solutions or dispersions or sterile powderscomprising the active ingredient, which are adapted for theextemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable or infusible solutionsor dispersions, optionally encapsulated in liposomes. The ultimatedosage form should be sterile, fluid and stable under the conditions ofmanufacture and storage. The liquid carrier or vehicle can be a solventor liquid dispersion medium comprising, for example, water, ethanol, apolyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, liquid polyethyleneglycols, and the like), vegetable oils, nontoxic glyceryl esters, andsuitable mixtures thereof. The proper fluidity can be maintained, forexample, by the formation of liposomes, by the maintenance of therequired particle size in the case of dispersions or by the use ofsurfactants. Optionally, the prevention of the action of microorganismscan be brought about by various other antibacterial and antifungalagents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, sorbic acid,thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it will be preferable toinclude isotonic agents, for example, sugars, buffers or sodiumchloride. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can bebrought about by the inclusion of agents that delay absorption, forexample, aluminum monostearate and gelatin.

Sterile injectable solutions are prepared by incorporating a compoundand/or agent disclosed herein in the required amount in the appropriatesolvent with various other ingredients enumerated above, as required,followed by filter sterilization. In the case of sterile powders for thepreparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods ofpreparation are vacuum drying and the freeze drying techniques, whichyield a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desiredingredient present in the previously sterile-filtered solutions.

For topical administration, compounds and agents disclosed herein can beapplied in as a liquid or solid. However, it will generally be desirableto administer them topically to the skin as compositions, in combinationwith a dermatologically acceptable carrier, which can be a solid or aliquid. Compounds and agents and compositions disclosed herein can beapplied topically to a subject's skin to reduce the size (and caninclude complete removal) of malignant or benign growths, or to treat aninfection site. Compounds and agents disclosed herein can be applieddirectly to the growth or infection site. Preferably, the compounds andagents are applied to the growth or infection site in a formulation suchas an ointment, cream, lotion, solution, tincture, or the like.

Useful solid carriers include finely divided solids such as talc, clay,microcrystalline cellulose, silica, alumina and the like. Useful liquidcarriers include water, alcohols or glycols or water-alcohol/glycolblends, in which the compounds can be dissolved or dispersed ateffective levels, optionally with the aid of non-toxic surfactants.Adjuvants such as fragrances and additional antimicrobial agents can beadded to optimize the properties for a given use. The resultant liquidcompositions can be applied from absorbent pads, used to impregnatebandages and other dressings, or sprayed onto the affected area usingpump-type or aerosol sprayers, for example.

Thickeners such as synthetic polymers, fatty acids, fatty acid salts andesters, fatty alcohols, modified celluloses or modified mineralmaterials can also be employed with liquid carriers to form spreadablepastes, gels, ointments, soaps, and the like, for application directlyto the skin of the user.

Useful dosages of the compounds and agents and pharmaceuticalcompositions disclosed herein can be determined by comparing their invitro activity, and in vivo activity in animal models. Methods for theextrapolation of effective dosages in mice, and other animals, to humansare known to the art.

Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions that comprise a compounddisclosed herein in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptablecarrier. Pharmaceutical compositions adapted for oral, topical orparenteral administration, comprising an amount of a compound constitutea preferred aspect. The dose administered to a patient, particularly ahuman, should be sufficient to achieve a therapeutic response in thepatient over a reasonable time frame, without lethal toxicity, andpreferably causing no more than an acceptable level of side effects ormorbidity. One skilled in the art will recognize that dosage will dependupon a variety of factors including the condition (health) of thesubject, the body weight of the subject, kind of concurrent treatment,if any, frequency of treatment, therapeutic ratio, as well as theseverity and stage of the pathological condition.

Kits

The disclosed subject matter also concerns a packaged dosage formulationcomprising in one or more containers at least one inhibitor compound orcomposition disclosed herein. A packaged dosage formulation canoptionally comprise in one or more containers a pharmaceuticallyacceptable carrier or diluent. A packaged dosage formulation can alsooptionally comprise, in addition to an inhibitor compound or compositiondisclosed herein, other HDAC inhibitors, or an immunotherapeutic such asipilimumab.

Depending upon the disorder or disease condition to be treated, asuitable dose(s) can be that amount that will reduce proliferation orgrowth of the target cell(s). In the context of cancer, a suitabledose(s) is that which will result in a concentration of the active agentin cancer tissue, such as a malignant tumor, which is known to achievethe desired response. The preferred dosage is the amount which resultsin maximum inhibition of cancer cell growth, without unmanageable sideeffects. Administration of a compound and/or agent can be continuous orat distinct intervals, as can be determined by a person of ordinaryskill in the art.

To provide for the administration of such dosages for the desiredtherapeutic treatment, in some embodiments, pharmaceutical compositionsdisclosed herein can comprise between about 0.1% and 45%, andespecially, 1 and 15%, by weight of the total of one or more of thecompounds based on the weight of the total composition including carrieror diluents. Illustratively, dosage levels of the administered activeingredients can be: intravenous, 0.01 to about 20 mg/kg;intraperitoneal, 0.01 to about 100 mg/kg; subcutaneous, 0.01 to about100 mg/kg; intramuscular, 0.01 to about 100 mg/kg; orally 0.01 to about200 mg/kg, and preferably about 1 to 100 mg/kg; intranasal instillation,0.01 to about 20 mg/kg; and aerosol, 0.01 to about 20 mg/kg of animal(body) weight.

Also disclosed are kits that comprise a composition comprising acompound disclosed herein in one or more containers. The disclosed kitscan optionally include pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and/ordiluents. In one embodiment, a kit includes one or more othercomponents, adjuncts, or adjuvants as described herein. In anotherembodiment, a kit includes one or more anti-cancer agents, such as thoseagents described herein. In one embodiment, a kit includes instructionsor packaging materials that describe how to administer a compound orcomposition of the kit. Containers of the kit can be of any suitablematerial, e.g., glass, plastic, metal, etc., and of any suitable size,shape, or configuration. In one embodiment, a compound and/or agentdisclosed herein is provided in the kit as a solid, such as a tablet,pill, or powder form. In another embodiment, a compound and/or agentdisclosed herein is provided in the kit as a liquid or solution. In oneembodiment, the kit comprises an ampoule or syringe containing acompound and/or agent disclosed herein in liquid or solution form.

The materials and methods of the appended claims are not limited inscope by the specific materials and methods described herein, which areintended as illustrations of a few aspects of the claims and anymaterials and methods that are functionally equivalent are within thescope of this disclosure. Various modifications of the materials andmethods in addition to those shown and described herein are intended tofall within the scope of the appended claims. Further, while onlycertain representative materials, methods, and aspects of thesematerials and methods are specifically described, other materials andmethods and combinations of various features of the materials andmethods are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims,even if not specifically recited. Thus a combination of steps, elements,components, or constituents can be explicitly mentioned herein; however,all other combinations of steps, elements, components, and constituentsare included, even though not explicitly stated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of increasing T-cell activation andresponse against tumor, comprising: administering to a subject having anoncological disorder an amount of a HDAC6 inhibitor effective toincrease T-cell activation and response against tumor in the subject. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the inhibitor is ACY1215.
 3. The methodof claim 1, wherein the inhibitor is ST-3-06, ST-2-92, Tubstatin A,Tubacin, Nexturastat A, Nexturastat B or any combination thereof.
 4. Themethod of any of the preceding claims, wherein the subject is alsoadministered ipilimumab, revlimid, velcade, vemurafenib, or anycombination thereof.
 5. A method of increasing expression of CD69 in asubject's T-cells, comprising: administering to the subject an effectiveamount of an HDAC6 inhibitor.
 6. A method for ex vivo expandingtumor-infiltrating lymphocytes for use in adoptive cell therapy,comprising: culturing tumor fragments from the subject in a culturemedium comprising IL-2 and an HDAC6 inhibitor in an amount effective toexpand tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes with enriched tumor-reactivity andspecificity.
 7. A method for treating a cancer in a subject, comprising:expanding tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes from a tumor fragment from thesubject by culturing the tumor fragments in a culture medium comprisingIL-2 and an HDAC6 inhibitor in an amount effective to expandtumor-infiltrating lymphocytes with enriched tumor-reactivity andspecificity; treating the subject with nonmyeloablative lymphodepletingchemotherapy; and administering the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes tothe subject.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cancer is a solidtumor.
 9. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein the cancer is selectedfrom the group consisting of melanoma, ovarian cancer, breast cancer,and colorectal cancer.
 10. The method of any one of claims 7-9, whereinthe cancer is metastatic.
 11. The method of any one of claims 7-10,wherein the cancer is recurrent.
 12. The method of any one of claims7-11, wherein the subject is a human.
 13. The method of any one ofclaims 7-12, wherein the inhibitor is ACY1215.
 14. The method of any oneof claims 7-13, wherein the inhibitor is ST-3-06, ST-2-92, Tubstatin A,Tubacin, Nexturastat A, Nexturastat B or any combination thereof.
 15. Amethod of increasing T-cell activation and response against peptidevaccine, comprising: administering to a subject an effective amount ofan HDAC6 inhibitor to increase T-cell activation and response againsttumor or peptide vaccine in the subject.
 16. The method of claim 15,wherein the HDAC6 inhibitor is administered with the peptide vaccine.17. The method of claim 15, wherein the HDAC6 inhibitor is administeredwithin a week after the subject has been administered a peptide vaccine.